Convention Inspires in Australia

By Shoshanna Silcove

An eclectic group of over 200 hundred women from around Australia gathered at the Best Western Hotel near the Melbourne airport last weekend for the 18th annual Australian N’shei Chabad Convention.

This year’s convention saw the largest group ever. ‘Know Yourself, Know Your Role, Know Your Way Forward’ was the chosen theme that was highlighted by all the speakers and workshops.

The keynote speaker-shlucha from Kansas City Rebbetzin Esther Friedman, captivated her audience with meaningful stories, profound Torah insights, and humour. Rebbetzin Friedman set the convention tone with her Friday evening speech about the power of Jewish women to make choices as expressed in Parshas Re’eh. She spoke movingly of her grandmother Maryasha Gorelick whose life of unsurpassed mesiras nefesh for Yiddishkiet in Communist Russia serves as an inspiration for all of us today.

During the “My Journey” session Friday night after the meal, guest speakers told poignant tales of their personal individual life journeys, of their struggles and triumphs, their hardships and their joy to embrace Yiddishkeit. One woman spoke about her struggle over her decision to wear a sheitel with equal parts of seriousness and humor, while another, a lawyer described her long arduous journey to becoming a Jew, and yet another, told the audience of her life long thirst for Emes.

Shabbos morning, being it was Shabbos Mevorchim Chodesh Elul, the women gathered around over coffee, cake, and intermittent schmoozing, to recite Tehillim. This was followed by a choice of short inspirational shiurim and communal davening. During the Seudas Shabbos, inspired by Esther we drank lechaim and gave each other brochos. Lunch was followed by a session on “Meet the Shluchos” with representative shluchos relating their challenges and successes on their shlichus. A further talk on increasing hiskashrus to the Rebbe, alongside a panel discussing raising children with yiras shamayim , followed by Mincha concluded the Shabbos Day program.

No convention would be complete without entertainment. Motzei Shabbes the women enjoyed Jewish karaoke, a raffle draw and a funny skit titled “The Shadchon’s Opera”. As one of the speakers noted, the achdus the women experienced by the time Motzei Shabbes rolled around was special as everyone enjoyed the melava malka, the stories of faith, miracles, and simcha, and sang and danced together in unity. “For sure the Rebbe is gazing at these Jewish women Down Under with nachas,” a lady remarked. Farbrenging to a packed room into the wee hours of the night, Rebbetzin Friedman reminisced with fascinating tales and experiences of growing up near the Rebbe.

Sunday was a fully packed schedule with a smorgasbord of workshops and talks for body and soul to choose from. Rebbetzin Friedman is a Temperament Certified Professional. She gave a fascinating lecture on Temperament Theory, how it parallels with Torah, and how it can be used for self-improvement, parenting and relationship issues. Workshops on Nutrition, Communication, and Shalom Bayis. the Kabbalah and Halachah of Hair Covering, Conflict resolution, Financial planning, Emotional resilience, and even the Kabbalah of Sleep were among the many workshop topics.

Rebbetzin Friedman’s keynote address on the Rebbe’s Empowerment of Women during the banquet lunch was replete with many personal stories of her privileged encounters with the Rebbe. The convention concluded with the acceptance of Hachlotos and a Chinese auction.

Each woman left the convention with deeper insights into herself and others, inspired and ready to welcome the New Year.

“I am already seeing the difference in my avodah/parenting/hiskashrus having been back about 24 hours,” said one participant.

“Just being there among the women, listening to the presenters and in particular to Rebbetzin Esther Friedman was an invigorating, inspiring and positive experience that I will hold dear in my heart and memory.”